


Written in the Stars

by starlightwalking



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: (kind of?), Back to Middle-Earth Month, Epistolary, Fic within a Fic, In-Universe RPF, M/M, Nihilism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 21:02:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30044718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlightwalking/pseuds/starlightwalking
Summary: A story and a letter.
Relationships: Elboron/Eldarion
Comments: 6
Kudos: 12
Collections: Back to Middle-earth Month 2020: Endings and Beginnings





	Written in the Stars

**Author's Note:**

  * For [peredain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/peredain/gifts).



> Another old B2MeM prompt :) This was for 3/29/20. Prompts:  
> “The Third Age of the world is ended, and the new age is begun; and it is your task to order its beginning and to preserve what may be preserved.” (Return of the King, Book VI, Chapter 5) [Official Prompt]. From the generator: first sight of the sea [Beginnings], “My name is NAME, and I am older than I care to remember.” [First Line], finishing a book, song, or other creative work [Ending]
> 
> For peredain, who introduced me to this ship!
> 
> Title is a pun based on Eärendil’s position as a star, as well as Eldarion and Elboron’s names both containing the element _el_ , “star.”

_My name is Eärendil, and I am older than I care to remember._

_Once there was a time when I was young, and the world was new, though far from peaceful. I had a family, once, but it has been so long since I have seen them that I scarce remember their names._

_For Ages uncounted now I have wandered the skies, guiding the Evening Star. Below me the descendants I have never known sally forth into a new Age, so the seagulls say, but I have seen too many years pass to mark the change._

_I am weary of this task, but I shall not be discharged from my duties until the Breaking of the World, and not even the High Ones know when the Enemy shall emerge from the Void to bring change and terror to us all._

_But am I not the Highest One, soaring the heavens above them all?_

_Perhaps I shall take matters into my own hands. I am no stranger to the Void, after all._

Eldarion—

Well, what do you think? I have only replicated the first page for you, but the manuscript itself is completed. If you are at all interested, I will send you the first copy I finish. He is your ancestor, after all; perhaps you could inquire with your mother as to the accuracy of my characterization?

(Though I do not wish to change the _premise_ of the story, you must understand. Some artistic liberties must be taken!)

All my love,  
Elboron of Ithilien

* * *

Dearest Elboron,

At last you deign to share with me your treasured manuscript! I am, of course, eager to read the finished version. If my father gives me leave, I will travel to Ithilien myself to take a look and perhaps aid in the re-scribing.

I showed the page to my ammë, as you requested, and I hope you will not be upset that she laughed. Eärendil is her grandfather, and though her father was not raised primarily by him, she is quite certain that he would never willingly usher in the End of Times. Indeed, was it not Eärendil who slew Ancalagon the Black in the War of Wrath? He is an enemy of Darkness!

But I reminded her that this is a work of fiction, and that of course there shall be inconsistencies. Ammë assured me she is not offended by the inaccuracy, and that much worse has been written of even this particular grandfather, and that she is interested in reading the story in full when it is ready.

As for myself, I await each of your letters eagerly, even more so when they contain such fragments as this. Your poetry makes me blush, yes, but your stories delight me in an altogether different fashion. I remember your story of one of Ammë’s _other_ grandfathers quite well, Maglor’s first sight of the sea at Alqualondë—it was chilling. I know you are embarrassed by such earlier works, but I saved the pages you sent to me and still read them from time to time. I even tried my hand at writing his demise in those same waters, but I have not the same gift of words as you.

With hope that I will see you soon,

Your beloved,  
Eldarion of the Reunited Kingdom

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, and please comment if you enjoyed!  
> You can find me on tumblr [@arofili](http://arofili.tumblr.com/).


End file.
